What is a Soulful Home?
Have you ever felt pressured to meet an expectation, even though your heart wasn’t really in it? Maybe during childhood, you just needed to have those brand-new trendy shoes. Or in adulthood, maybe you have felt the pressure to keep inherited items and gifts you don’t love, or to paint your walls the Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year.
If you’re anything like me, you probably eventually realized that those trendy shoes lacked comfort, the gifted items weren’t really your style, and that wall color didn’t bring you the joy it promised. Because opting for what you “should” is never the same as choosing what you want.
Soulful interior design is all about the latter. But before I share 3 ways soulful homes are more than meets the eye, I’d like to share a quick story about my own experience. Maybe you can relate?
The Moment I Realized My Home Wasn’t My Own
About 12 years ago, my husband and I had just moved into a beautiful antique house when my mother (my hero and influencer) passed away. She left me almost all of her furniture and household items, so we moved those items over, and it was exactly like someone had picked up her living room and plopped it right down into mine.
At the time, I didn’t see a problem with this. My mother was a beautiful soul with great taste. But here’s what eventually happened...
After 10 years of not touching the space, I realized that I was still essentially “living” in my childhood home. Memories of old friends and lost loves, adolescent pains, family events and holidays — these had all become visually mushed up against my adult life. And like my teen years, it was awkward.
Before: Design choices I didn’t actively make.
I was working on the blog post, What’s Holding You Back From a Home That Speaks Your Truth?, when I realized that I was holding myself back! I was dragging my feet and blaming my lack of time on my kids (though there’s some truth in there) — all to avoid touching this room.
It was hard to admit. But once I did, I felt ready to liberate myself from all of these past narratives and take myself through my own process of self-discovery. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I spent time discovering what I love and what’s meaningful to me, and yes, some of my mother’s beautiful life lessons were in there! Most importantly, I was forced to make my own choices, and somewhere along the way, I became the best version of myself.
After: Living room design inspired by what I love most.
Now, living in spaces that feel like coming home to myself has inspired more joy and peace than ever before. And this is exactly what I want for each and every one of our clients. This is a soulful home.
How is Soulful Design Different from Traditional Interior Design?
You may not have inherited pieces hanging around like I did, but if your home doesn’t feel like an expression of you and doesn’t bring you deep joy, there is a better way. Here’s what makes soulful interiors different…
1. The Source of Inspiration
When it comes to traditional interior design, inspiration is gathered from various places. Designers tend to look through your Pinterest boards, magazine clippings, and artwork to understand your interests and overall style. In my design process, the inspiration is different: it’s you.
We begin at a deeper level by exploring your happiest memories to uncover what is truly meaningful to you. I’ll ask questions about things that may seem and feel irrelevant to the project itself, but will uncover what is most special, meaningful, and joyful to you. No skeletons, of course, just what makes you feel good!
2. The Design Concept
Your home’s design concept consists of selecting the colors, textures, and materials that will be in your new home. With traditional interior design, the design concept is usually a blend of your style, items selected for comfort and durability, and colors and patterns that bring you joy.
However, in my experience, these selections are missing the deeper, more meaningful work. Yes, you may find blues calming, but exactly which shade of blue brings to mind that beautiful stream you grew up playing in behind your house? Yes, you love French toile, but exactly which toile pattern whisks you back to that life-changing trip you took to Paris?
Soulful design helps us get very specific about what we’re selecting for your home. That way, when you walk into your home, it won’t just feel relaxing and joyful. It will feel like coming home to the best, happiest version of yourself.
3. The Functionality
Functionality is essential when designing any home. In traditional interior design, your designer will likely ask you about your daily routine, special occasions, and how you would like to use the home. During my process, we do the same, but again, it takes on deeper meaning because it has deeper roots.
We build functionality into an environment that is designed to uplift you physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Have you ever noticed that you function better when you’re in a great mood? Me, too. And that’s exactly what soulful interior design does. It sets the stage for putting you in a “good mood” (even if you’re not happy all the time) so that you can better enjoy a home that feels effortless, organized, and fitted to your lifestyle.
Living a Fulfilling Life
A home designed through the lens of who you are and what you love is guaranteed to outlast the latest trends in home and design magazines. With an emphasis on your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness, your most fulfilling life will be a daily, livable experience.
If this is the type of home you’re looking for, I’d love to help. Reach out to me here and let me show you the life-enhancing joy of living in a home with your authentic self at its heart.
Until next time,
Monique